Novelis, Inc.

Jack Hamby

Wade Bowles

David Alan Salee

Michael R Kosmicki

James E Boorman

John Steven Tingey

Alexander J Fischer

James Borman

John David Treffry

Wade Lee Bowles

David A Salee

A mold for horizontal casting of molten metal comprising a mold body forming an open-ended mold cavity having an inlet end and an outlet end. An annular permeable wall member is mounted in the mold body adjacent the inlet end of the mold cavity with an inner face thereof forming an interior face of the mold. A refractory transition plate is mounted at the inlet end of the mold cavity, this transition plate providing a mold inlet opening having a cross-section less than that of the mold cavity. This provides an annular shoulder at the inlet end of the cavity. Means are provided for feeding molten aluminum through the inlet opening. Separate conduits are also provided for feeding a gas into the shoulder and via the permeable wall means for providing a layer of gas between the metal and the inner face of the mold. A gas that is more reactive with molten aluminum is fed into the shoulder and a less reactive gas is fed via the permeable wall. The reactions with the molten aluminum create a skin or shell on the aluminum which provides smooth passage through the mold and allows for more rapid secondary cooling of the emerging ingot.

Horizontal continuous casting of metals

The invention relates to an apparatus for continuous casting of metal billets comprising a horizontal casting mold having and inlet end and an outlet end. It includes a feed trough for feeding molten metal to the mold inlet end and a horizontal conveyor for receiving a cast billet from the mold outlet end. A moveable cutting saw is operable to move synchronously with the conveyor for cutting a continuous billet into lengths while supported on the conveyor. The billet is resiliently supported and the saw mechanism is isolated so as to minimize transmission of low and high frequency vibrations from the cutting and conveying operations to the mold.

Apparatus and method for horizontal casting and cutting of metal billets

An apparatus is described for starting and stopping a horizontal casting machine, e.g. a caster for continuous casting of metal ingots. The caster comprises a feed trough for carrying molten metal, at least one casting mould and a connecting trough separately connecting each casting mould to the feed trough. A shutoff gate is associated with each connecting trough and movable between an open position and a closed position. Each connecting trough includes a drop-down portion located between the shutoff gate and the casting mould, this drop-down portion being adapted to swing downwardly and thereby rapidly drain molten metal from the connecting trough and an entrance of the mould. The apparatus may also include an elongated starter block, adapted to be inserted into the casting mould and having a threaded recess formed therein for receiving molten metal. An O-ring is fitted to the starter block to seal the block against the casting mould.

Method and apparatus for starting and stopping a horizontal casting machine

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Chattaroy, WA, United States of America

Jack Hamby